This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2002-207503 and 2002-207504 both filed Jul. 16, 2002, which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a connection structure of eyeglasses. More particularly, the invention relates to eyeglasses having the connection structure for rimless eyeglasses, which has no rim for holding an outer periphery portion of lens, and having a screwless hinge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as rimless eyeglasses, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,183 and Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3007846 have been known, for example.
The rimless eyeglasses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,183 has end members connected to temples via hinge portions and a bridge. A first strip portion of U-shaped elastic clamp member formed in each of end portions of the end members and the bridge, is inserted into an aperture provided in a lens, and a second strip portion is engaged with a groove provided in an edge of the lens for clamping the lens between the aperture provided in the lens and the edge of the lens by means of the U-shaped elastic clamp member such that the lens and the end member and the bridge, respectively, are connected to each other.
On the other hand, eyeglasses disclosed in Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3007846 is designed to connect and hold a pair of left and right lenses by means of a metal bridge having parallel line form edge contact portions which can line contact with inner edges of the lenses and inner piercing portions which can extend through bridge fixing apertures formed in the vicinity of inner edges of the lenses, and metal end members each having parallel line form edge contact portion which can line contact with outer edge of the lens and outer piercing portion which can extend through end member fixing aperture formed in the vicinity of the outer edge of the lens.
Moreover, a conventional screwless hinge for the eyeglasses has been known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-075056.
In the screwless hinge disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-075056, a connecting member of a linear material, which is fitted to a lens or a rim at one end, is formed with a U-shaped curved portion on the other end thereof. At an end of a temple, an engaging member formed with a circumferentially extending groove is provided. The engaging member is pivotably engaged with the connecting member between the U-shaped curved portion so that the U-shaped curved portion of the connecting member contacts with the circumferential groove of the engaging member at least two positions.
However, in such conventional rimless eyeglasses, in any cases, connection of eyeglass parts, such as a bridge, end members or the like, and the lens is established by inserting a first strip portion or inner and outer piercing portions formed in the end portion of the eyeglass part into the aperture formed in the lens and contacting a second strip portion or edge contact portion to the edge of the lens. Therefore, when a large external force acts to vary a distance (space) between the temples of the eyeglasses, for example, the eyeglass parts may be deformed and in the worst case, stress may be concentrated in the aperture portion of the lens to cause breakage of the lens.
On the other hand, such eyeglass parts are light in weight and small in shape and are typically produced of special metal in order to maintain necessary strength. Accordingly, in order to avoid direct contact of the metal associated with the lens and avoid exertion of unnecessary external force, special measures have to be taken, and a troublesome adjusting operation for adjusting these becomes necessary.
Furthermore, in such a conventional screwless hinge, the engaging member formed with the groove extending in the circumferential direction, is clamped with the U-shaped curved portion with contacting at least at two positions to permit pivotal motion of the temples. Therefore, it is structurally not possible to provide sufficient clamping force to cause deflection of the temples in vertical directions resulting in degradation of wearing comfort.
On the other hand, a recess is provided in the U-shaped curved portion having curvature matching with that of the engaging member so as to guide pivotal movement of the engaging member. However, the pivoting center of the engaging member cannot be uniform to cause instability in opening and closing the temple.
An object of the present invention is to solve the problems in the prior art and to provide eyeglasses which can prevent deformation of parts or breakage of lens when an excessive external force acts on the eyeglasses, and has connecting structure of the eyeglasses not requiring adjusting operation, or simply adjusted even when adjustment operation is required.
Another object of the present invention is to provide eyeglasses having screwless hinges which can avoid deflection of temples in vertical directions and can be opened and closed stably.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a connecting structure of eyeglasses comprising:
a first member fixed to an eyeglass lens; and
a second member connected to a temple or a bridge;
wherein the first member has a mounting groove formed at least a part of an outer periphery portion thereof, and the second member has a substantially U-shaped bent portion introduced from one direction into the mounting groove and resiliently engaging with the mounting groove.
With the construction set forth above, when the excessive external force is exerted upon opening the temple or other occasion, the second member resiliently engaging the substantially U-shaped bent portion with the mounting groove formed on at least a part of the outer periphery portion of the first member is released from the first member. Accordingly, deformation of the first and second members and breakage of the lens can be prevented.
Here, the outer peripheral portion is an elliptic shape, and the mounting groove may be formed in a portion including at least one arc shaped portion of the outer periphery. Thus, sufficient contract area can be provided between the first member and the second member to ensure connection between the first member and the second member.
On the other hand, the outer peripheral portion may be a rectangular shape, and the mounting groove may be formed in a portion including at least a hole portion and a corner portion of the outer periphery portion. Thus, sufficient contract area can be provided between the first member and the second member to ensure connection between the first member and the second member. Furthermore, superiority in design can be obtained.
It should be noted that the first member is preferably formed of a resin. With such construction, freedom in design required for the eyeglasses can be increased and can be easily colored in the color different from the lens to make the eyeglasses more fashionable.
On the other hand, the first member may be fixed on the eyeglass lens by bonding or adhesion. Thus, working for forming apertures in the lens or adjustment operation becomes unnecessary to facilitate production of the eyeglasses.
Furthermore, it is also possible that the first member is fixed by inserting a leg portion into a lens aperture formed in the eyeglass lens.
Furthermore, the resin may be transparent. With such selection, a visual field is not restricted and becomes bright. On the other hand, foreign body sensation in the lens portion in appearance can be reduced to provide neat design for the eyeglasses.
It should be noted that the mounting groove of the first member may be arranged in a vertical direction as viewed from a front side. With the construction set forth above, neat appearance as viewed from a front side can be provided to make the eyeglasses more fashionable.
Furthermore, the mounting groove of the first member may be formed over an entire circumference of the elliptic outer periphery portion, and one end portion of the substantially U-shaped bent portion may be formed to penetrate into other arc shaped portion. Thus, mounting of the second member relative to the first member can be ensured to assure connection between the first member and the second member.
The second member may be an end member connected to a temple via a hinge or a bridge formed from one piece wire member.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a screwless hinge comprising:
an end member mounted on a lens;
a temple member;
a substantially cylindrical member provided on one of the end member and the temple member; and
a J-shaped bent portion formed on the other of the end member and the temple member,
wherein the J-shaped bent member includes a first leg portion to be inserted into a center hole of the cylindrical member and a second leg portion contacting with an outer periphery portion of the cylindrical member, when the first leg portion is inserted into the center hole, the first leg portion and the second leg portion resiliently clamping the cylindrical member.
With the construction set forth above, a rotation center of the temple member is formed by the first leg portion inserted into the center hole of the cylindrical member. Furthermore, since the cylindrical member is resiliently clamped by the first leg portion and the second leg portion, the temple does not deflect in vertical directions and opening and closing of the screwless hinge becomes stable.
Here, the cylindrical member may be formed into a substantially drum shape including a groove constituted of a flange portion formed in an upper portion thereof, a sectionally arc shaped recess having a predetermined curvature radius located immediately below the flange, and a linear slop surface smoothly continuous with the recess, and the second leg portion of the J-shaped bent portion may be bent to be complement with the groove. With such a construction, when the first leg portion is inserted into the center hole of the cylindrical member, the second leg portion bent along the recessed portion is inherently placed at the predetermined position to establish a connection without offset. The temple does not deflect in vertical directions, and the screwless hinge to be stably opened and closed can be obtained.
On the other hand, the cylindrical member may be formed integrally in such a manner that the leg member of one of the end member and the temple member bond to the arc shaped recess. With the construction set forth above, the position of the end member and the temple member can be arranged in an in-line alignment. A neat screwless hinge in design can be obtained.
Furthermore, preferably, the second leg portion may be bent from the end portion of the other of the end member and the temple member in an acute angle relative to a straight portion, an outer contour of the bent portion has a curvature radius equal to that of the arc shaped recess. With the construction set forth above, it becomes possible to establish a connection without offset. The temple does not deflect in vertical directions, and the screwless hinge to be stably opened and closed can be obtained.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided eyeglasses comprising:
a pair of lenses;
end member side first members, each being fixed to the lens and having a mounting groove formed at least a part of an outer periphery portion thereof;
bridge side first members, each being fixed to the lens and having a mounting groove formed at least a part of an outer periphery portion thereof;
end members, each having a substantially U-shaped bent portion being introduced into the end member side first member from one direction and resiliently engaging with the mounting groove;
a bridge member having substantially U-shaped bent portions, each being introduced into the bridge side first member from one side and resiliently engaging with the mounting groove;
a screwless hinge comprising a substantially cylindrical member provided on one of the end member and the temple member, and a J-shaped bent portion formed on the other of the end member and the temple member, wherein the J-shaped bent member includes a first leg portion to be inserted into a center hole of the cylindrical member and a second leg portion contacting with an outer periphery portion of the cylindrical member, when the first leg portion is inserted into the center hole, the first leg portion and the second leg portion resiliently clamping the cylindrical member.
The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.